Apparatus for arranging and stacking a plurality of rows of cigarettes in superposed layers



July 21, 1936. c, w, MULLER 2,048,281

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING AND STACKING A PLURALIT-Y OF ROWS 0F CIGARETTES IN SUPERPOSED LAYERS Filed Feb. 26, 195]. 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 21, 1936. c. w. MULLER 2,048,281

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING AND STAGKING A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF CIGARETTES IN SUPERPOSED LAYERS Filed Feb. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l I HUME I I l I l l IMIHIHHIH A M H July 21, 1936. Q w MULLER 2,048,281

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING AND STACKING A PLURALITY 0F ROWS OF CIGARETTES IN SUPERPOSED LAYERS Filed Feb. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5

July 21, 1936. c w MULLER I 2,048,281

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING AND STACKING A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF CIGARETTES IN SUPERPOSED LAYERS Filed Feb. 26, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i- WM I Hi" I 4; I W M m m m in:

Patented July 21, 1936 um'reov STATES PATENT- OFFICE Application February 26, 1931,. Serial No. 518.579 In Germany August,18,.1930

reclaims. (01. 226-) In cigarette packing; machines the problem encountered is always that a number: of groups ofcigarettes are to be arranged. and: disposed. inpacking. boxes in. superposed layers. By far 5 ranged is meant this case that the cigarettes an examining position inorder tobring them intothe correct. symmetrical position, another problem arises- Now the cigarettes are passed: to a conveyer device on. which they are arranged in parallel relationship and: in serial order and spaced: a: certain distance apart,. whilst theirlongitudinal axes are oblique to the. direction. of travel. The conveyer device. generally consists of a troughed conveyer, eachqtroughlof which carries a cigarette.

The present invention is: concerned with: the problem of. surrounding the oncomingcigarettes and disposing them in separate groups in superposed layers in the packingboxesorin a chamher the dimensions of which correspond to those of. the packing box.

. This problem issolved in that a group ofradjacent cigarettesis thrust by at lug, moving Withm -the conveyer device. transversely to the forward:

movement, into a guide. which holds the cigarettes and, by means of. converging grooves? transfers. them into a. scale-like .layer; which guide: during. the reception. of. the groups of ciga-' rettes participates in. the movements-or"v the. 00111.

veyer device whilst: the arranged. group is! removed. from this guide by means ofithe same: or: a special lug, into thepacking boxer into a of the packing box.

symmetrically arrangedrelatively to th'e -conveyer device of the packing box" or of the cone 5o. tainers' corresponding to the packing boxes aretwo parallel cOnVeyerdeVices with converging guides arranged-in an'offset manner according to the height so that'a group of. cigarettes from I one conveyor device comes int'o. position-over those coming. from: theother convgyer device, 9n;

container provided on a conveyer. bel't orthel *like, the dimensions of whichcorrespond'tmthose the central conveyer devicalnthe packing boxes or the reception chamber.

The arrangement may be such that the converging guides, as well as the conveyer device carrying the container corresponding tothe 51; packing. boxes, during; the transfer of the group of cigarettes; are. displaced. in the same forward direction at the same: forward: speed, whilst the movement. ofthe converging. guides after the transfer ot the: cigarettes;.is= reversedandreturn 10.1v

to their initial. position is effected at increased speed. The arrangement can, however, alsobe suchthat. between-1 the .conveyer device and; a stationary' converging guide an== intermediate conveyer 15.- device is inserted which during. the transfer of the; cigarettes. moves at the same speed and in the same: direction .as the. mainconveyer device, but; which: remains stationary in relation to the convergingguide; sow that the group of cigarettes 20 carried by the intermediate conveyer device can be thrust. by; a second ram into the converging guides from. which the arranged groups of cigarettes: are delivered. to the containers of the conveyer device which moves intermittently. 5

Two: forms of. construction of the invention are illustrated" in: the annexed drawings,v in which:-

Figs. 1-3 show one example, and Figsll-6 show a. second example.

Figs? illustrates a. speciallform' of construction. 30.

these: drawings':.-- Fig; l; is a; plan. 7 Fig. 2: is: a. vertical .cross section taken: on the 1ine'2-2 of Fig. 1,. and

. Fig. 3 is:- a. planofi the whole device. 5.

Fig; 4 iSi a; plan.

Fig. 51 is. a. vertical cross section: taken on the line. 5?5" of Fig; Land Fig; 6 isai plan. of the whole device.

. Referring firstto Figs. 1-3, the endlesstroughed 40.

chain. I which. passes over thesprocket wheel 2; carries. a guide member 3 which is provided in. known manner'with converginggrooves in order to. assemble the: oval. cigarettes; which are originally introduced level, that is'to say with their 45 majorra'xes. hnr-izontali. and. thereby arranged so. as to overlap one another'scalewisea Further, a driving: chain. 6i passing over the sprocket wheels Band! is arranged over thetroughedrchain iv and thevguidemembeirt. The. sprocket wheels 4; and 5- are staggered and arranged obliquely in such manner that the driven side of the chain comes intogposition obliquely to the troughed: chain- Bars 1- are arrangedonthe conveyer chain.

These bars pass. over the troughs of thetroughed 55.

chain I and while the latter continues its uniform movement, thrust the cigarettes therefrom into 7 the converging grooves 3 of the guide 3. Now

7 side of the converging grooves 3 there is arranged 1-the troughed belt 20.

a conveyer belt I5, which passes over the guide wheels l6. In this mode of construction, on the conveyer belt i5 is arranged the container l1 into which the groups of cigarettes are thrust. It is,

of course, possible, instead of using the container I! to fit the packing boxes on the conveyer belt 5 and to introduce the cigarettes into them. In

. this form of construction, however, the cigarettes,

before reaching the packing boxes, are covered in known manner with wrapping strips at right angles to one another. As soon as the cigarettes are transferred from the guide member 3 to the conveyer belt Hi, the guide member 3 is returned at increased speed to its initial position as shown in'Fig. 1. It is now'so arranged that the guide member 3 arrives in its initial position just at the moment when a new group of cigarettes is on thetroughed chain l'in front ofthe converging grooves 3 of the guide 3. The process is then repeated. r

When it is a question of packing two or more layers, the process can be carried out advantageously in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3.

In this case, guide members 3 and troughed chains l are provided on both sides of the conveyer belt I5. After the first layer of cigarettes has been introduced into-the container H at the position A; aseparating-layerin the form of a sheet of cardboard H3 or the like is introduced in known manner at the position B. At the position C the second layer of cigarettes is placed upon the first layer. It is obvious that the second device will be so arranged that the guide member 3 is higher by one cigarette layer, as right side of Fig.2.

As regards the form of construction shown in Figs.-4to 6, by the troughed'belt 20 running over the sprocket wheel I9, which band runs at uniform speed, an intermittently driven troughed belt 2| is arranged which passes over the sprocket Wheels 22.

sprocket wheel 24, 25. Now while the lugs 21 of the'rod 26 fixed to the driving chain 23, seize the cigarettes and transfer them to the troughed belt 2| the latteris driven at the same speed as Now when the group of cigarettes taken from the troughed belt 2| has been moved in front of the guide member 28, the troughed belt 2| is stopped. Thereupon the rod fixed to the conveyer chain 29 engages with the group of cigarettes on the troughed belt 2| and thrusts the cigarettes into the converging grooves:

28' of the guide member 28. l.

The converging grooves 28, which correspond to'the converging grooves 3' of the previous example of construction, now assemble the oval the container 36, several of these being fitted on v the conveyor belt 31 It is obvious that the conshown on the' 7 Above the troughed belts 26, 2| is now passed a conveyor chain 23 which runs over the veyer belt 31 must remain stationary while the cigarettes are passed from the guide member 28 into the container 36. In the present example of construction the sprocket wheel 22 of the troughed belt 2| and the sprocket wheel 3| of the conveyer belt 31 are on the common axis 32 which is driven intermittently by the gear wheels 33 and 34 and the crank mechanism 35. If, however, in order to save time, it is desired to set the troughed belt 2| again in operation while the cigarettes are still being passed through the guide member 28, the troughed belt 2| and the conveyer belt 31 can, of course/also be driven one after the other.

For this purpose, the crank 38 is connected by the connecting rod 39 with the lever 49 mounted loosely about the axle 34' of the gear wheel 34, this lever engaging with the pawl 4| on the ratchet wheel 42. The ratchet wheel 42 (similarly to the gear wheel 34) is mounted rigidly on'the axle 34.

If it is desired to pack in several layers, as can be seen in Fig. 6, it is possible to arrange the device just described on both'sides of the conveyer belt 31. Then the bottom group of cigarettes is introduced first of all into the container 36 at the position A. The intermediate member I8 is introduced at the position B and, as in the first band 37, so that the cigarettes are introduced directly into the packing boxes.

Only in the present case, where the cigarettes are first to be surrounded with Wrapping strips, is it necessary to use the container 36.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim:--

1. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising means for continuously conveying individually arranged articles of oval cross section, means forguiding said articles into overlapping relation, means moving with said conveying means and transversely thereof for transferring said articles from said conveying means to said overlapping guiding means and conveying means for receiving said overlapping articles in assembled relation.-

2. An apparatus for arranging and stacking ing means and transversely thereof moving said articles from said conveying means to said guid ing means and means for receiving said overlapped articles from said guiding means.

' 3. An apparatus for arranging and stacking a plurality of articles comprising conveying means for individually arranged articles in spaced relation, reciprocating guiding means arranged parallel to said conveying means for arranging said articles in overlapping relationship, means for transferring said articles from said conveying means to said guiding means, means for synchronizing the motion of said guiding means with said conveying means during the time said articles are being transferred and means for receivingsaid articles in overlapping relationship from said guiding means.

'4. An apparatus for arranging and stacking a pluralityof articles comprising an endless convey-i-n'g means fori 'individiiallys arranged .andisep aratedi articles of oval cross:.section',. ;guiding means adapted to. receive. saidarticles. from said conveying 'means, means :for'transferring said articles. from said conveying means to Esaidguiding? means, converging channels upon'said guid' ing means to. align said: articlesi-n overlapping,

relationship and .meansffor receiving said overlapped articles from said guiding means.

5. An apparatus for arranging and stacking a plurality of articles comprising an endless conveyor having grooves therein for conveying individually arranged and spaced articles of oval cross section, reciprocating guiding means arranged parallel to said conveying means having converging channels therein to arrange said articles in overlapping relationship, means for synchronizing the movement of said guiding means during a portion of its travel with said conveying means, means for transferring said article from said conveying means to said guiding means and an endless conveyor adapted to receive said arranged articles from said guiding means.

6. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising a conveyor for individually spaced and arranged articles, guiding means associated with said conveying means for arrang ing said articles in overlapping relationship, a second conveying means to receive said articles arranged in overlapping relationship, a second conveyor for individually arranged and spaced articles positioned parallel to said first conveying means upon the opposite side of said second conveying means, a second guiding means located between said third conveying means and said second conveying means to arrange said articles received from said third conveying means in overlapping relationship, means for transferring said articles from said first conveying means to said first named guiding means and then transferring thesame upon said second convey-er and means for transferring said articles from said third conveying means to said second guiding means and then superposing said articles upon the articles first deposited upon said second conveying means.

7. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising means for conveying continuously individually arranged articles disposed transversely to the path of the conveying means, a second conveying means for individually arranged articles disposed transversely to the path of the conveying means spaced from said first conveying means, reciprocating means for arranging said articles in overlapping relationship means for receiving said articles in overlapped relation and means moving partially with said first conveying means and transversely thereof for superposing the articles received from one of said conveying means upon those received from the other conveying means upon said receiving means.

8. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising conveying means for individually arranged articles, guiding means for said articles to arrange the same in overlapping relationship positioned parallel to said conveying means, means for receiving said articles from said guiding means, means for transferring said articles from said conveying means to said guiding means and means for moving said transferring means in a path oblique tothe movement of said conveying means.

9. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising means for conveying individually spacedarticless-anrintermittently Elmerated conveying means. arranged parallel to said first conveying means,:means for transferring said articles. from said conveyingrmeansr to said intermittently operated conveyingxmeansrguim ing means .1 for :arranging. said: articles over lapping. relatidnship. and. means: for transferring said 1 articles 7 from i said intermittently :operated conveying means to said guiding means.

10. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising means for conveying individually spaced articles, an intermittently operated conveying means arranged parallel to said first conveying means, means for transferring said articles from said conveying means to said intermittently operated conveying means, guiding" means for arranging said articles in overlapping relationship, means for transferring said articles from said intermittently operated conveying means to said guiding means and conveying means for receiving said articles from said guiding means.

11. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising a plurality of continuously operating conveying means for individually spaced and arranged articles, a plurality of guiding means located between said conveying means arranged in staggered relation for guiding said articles into overlapping relationship and means moving partially with one of said conveying means and transversely thereof for transferring said articles from said conveying means to said guiding means.

12. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising a plurality of spaced conveying means for conveying individually arranged and spaced articles, a plurality of staggered guiding means for guiding said articles into overlapping relationship, a common receiving means located between said guiding means and intermittently operated conveying means located between said first mentioned conveying means and said guiding means.

13. An apparatus for guiding and stacking articles comprising a pair of conveying means for individually spaced and arranged articles, an intermittently operated conveying means located adjacent each of said conveying means, means for transferring articles from said conveying means to said intermittently operated conveying means, guiding means for arranging said articles in overlapping relationship located adjacent said intermittently operated conveying means, means for transferring said articles from said intermittently operated conveying means to said guiding means and a common conveying means adapted to receive said articles from said guiding means.

14. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising an endless conveyor for conveying individually spaced and arranged articles, a second conveyor arranged parallel to said first conveyor, means for intermittently operating said second conveyor, means arranged obliquely to the travel of said conveyors for transferring said articles from said first conveyor-to said intermittently operated conveyor, a guiding means located adjacent said intermittently operated conveyor, means disposed transversely of the path of said conveyors for transferring the said articles from said intermittently operated conveyor to said guiding means and means for receiving said articles from said guiding means.

15. An apparatus for arranging and stacking articles comprising continuously operated conveying means for individually arranged and spaced articles; guiding means for.v receiving said articles from said conveying. meansfito arrange said. articles in overlapping:relationship and means for. transferring said articles while incon-.

tinuous motion to said guiding means. v

16.-An apparatus for arrangingand stacking articles comprising two spaced endless conveyors for. continuously conveying. individually spacedv articles, a pair of guiding means located between: said spaced conveyors and positioned in stag- 1 gered relation, means for transferring articles to said guiding means from said conveying means and receiving means located between said guid-i 

